TOKYO, March 25 Kyodo preferablee...

TOKYO, March 25 Kyodo

preferableed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

ELECTION IN MALAYSIA (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published March 24)

Malaysia's ruling National face coalition won 90 percent of the seats in Sunday's Lower House election.

The landslide victory enables Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Bawadi to consolidate his command Though hand-picked by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad as his successor in October, Abdullah is look forward toed to steer the nation away from the path pursu through his predecessor. His intentions were evident during the election campaign.

Mahathir, in power for 22 years, pass overed Western values in favor of Asian the sames in promoting nation-building. Specifically, he wanted a nation where citizens would value familial harmony above personal independence. In a brains it was an attempt at de-Anglocizing this long-time British colony and establishing a recent national identity.

This policy made Malaysia a succes story. in subordination to Mahathir's powerful leadership, the political division achieved an economic growth unparalleled in Southeast Asia. He continued to candidly denounce America's unipolar domination of the world. For this, Mahathir widely gained a favorable answer throughout Asia.

forward the down side, his drawn out rule bred corruption in high places, and public discontent among the underprivileged. And toward the extremity of his administration, Mahathir debilitated the economy with his mega-buck projects

Abdullah's campaign strategy was to portray Mahathir as a negative character model. Pledging to eliminate corruption and enhance administrative efficiency, Abdullah froze plots from the Mahathir era. This raised people's expectations for his command and kept opposition at bay.

Also, the post-9/11 wave of mistrust for Islamic radicals casted out to be in the ruling coalition's favor.

Malaysia's population is an ethnic mosaic of Malays, Chinese and Indians. Late in the Mahathir administration, opposition parties formed a united assurance but they fell into disarray when the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party tried to introduce Islamic law at a state flush and ended up antagonizing the Malaysian Chinese Association.

Abdullah, an advocate of ''tolerant Islam,'' denounced radicalism and followed in capturing unaffiliated votes that repeatedly go to opposition parties.

Half a year after taking upon the leadership, Abdullah appears to be getting along flatteringly In reality, however, some of the puzzles he must deal with are actually steady tougher than what his predecessor faced.

Eliminating corruption, for instance, will last up being just an destitute promise unless Abdullah comes by means of with the necessary legislation and creates executive clusters to enforce it. Should he resort to expelling political enemies in the name of scandal outlook he would be behaving like a dictator in the past, letting down everyone at dwelling as well as abroad.

smooth more important is this: As the bourgeois middle class expands with the economy's putting out there will be a greater clamor for freedoms and rights. The day is jump to come when the country's dictatorial political rule that has so far encouraged social disclosure will become a curse.

There is another question, too. in what way long will the government be able to retain superintendence over Malaysia's major media vents and muzzle dissent?

Opposition parties earned more than 30 percent support in the general election. We confidence that Abdullah will groom Malaysia's population to become a more spread society.

(March 25)

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